Columbus East graduate and Indiana University senior Graham Rooks gets ready for a match at the Big 10 Championships March 8 at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland.
Submitted photo
Graham and Cayden Rooks have spent roughly a quarter of their lives on the wrestling team at Indiana University, and that chapter is about to come to an end.
The former state champions from Columbus East will finish their collegiate careers next weekend at their sport’s highest stage at the college level. They’ll both compete in the NCAA Championships in Kansas City, Missouri.
“It’s something we’ve always dreamed of,” Graham said. “Both of our first years going, and then to be able to close it out with both of us going, it’s really exciting. I know it’s a big deal to him. It’s a big deal to both of us to be able to close out our careers together.”
A sixth-year senior, Graham will be making his fourth NCAA appearance. After redshirting in the 2018-19 season, he qualified in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Cayden, a fifth-year senior, made it to the NCAA as a redshirt freshman in 2021 and will go back for the second time with his older brother. They will be two of five Hoosiers who are headed to Kansas City.
“I was just grateful, all of the hard work that we’ve put in over five years, it’s kind of come to fruition,” Cayden said. “It’s awesome, especially to do it with the group of guys that we get to do it with. To do it with Graham is really special again.”
Graham entered last year’s NCAA tourney as the No. 20 seed at 149 pounds. He upset the No. 13 and No. 4 seeds to reach the Round of 12, but fell just short of a win that would have put him in the top eight and earned him All-American status.
“Last year, I didn’t quite end the tournament how I wanted to,” Graham said. “I made it to the Round of 12 and gave up some points that kept me from being All-American. It’s exciting to get back. I feel like I have unfinished business there. So punching my ticket at Big Ten and getting back there is really exciting.”
For the season, Graham is 19-10 and won the Southern Scuffle in January. He qualified for this year’s NCAA by finishing seventh at 149 in last weekend’s Big Ten Tournament.
“I think this year has definitely been my best year out of the five that I have competed so far,” Graham said. “The Southern Scuffle title is a really tough tournament, so that was a good accomplishment. Overall, I think I’ve competed well this year.”
Graham is ranked No. 13 at 149 pounds by InterMat and No. 19 by FloWrestling. With a career record of 99-53, he’ll be aiming for career win No. 100, along with a top-eight finish to earn All-America honors.
“This is the highest ranked I’ve been going into the tournament,” Graham said. “At the start of the year, I was inconsistent and making little mistakes, and now, I’m wrestling a lot better than I was then. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Columbus East graduate and Indiana University senior Cayden Rooks celebrates a win during the Big 10 Championships March 9 at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland.
Submitted photo
Meanwhile, Cayden also finished seventh in the Big Ten. He needed a win in his seventh-place match at 133 pounds last weekend to secure his spot.
“We game-planned for that match, and everything all worked out how we planned it,” Cayden said. “Ending it my senior year going back to nationals is special. It’s been a trying year, just the ups and downs with the wins and losses.”
Cayden enters the NCAA with a record of 11-11.
“I just want to go out and compete at a high level,” Cayden said. “I know if I can go out and compete as hard as I can, the rest will take care of itself.”
Both Graham and Cayden are preparing for life after college wrestling. Graham, who obtained a bachelor’s in interior design last May, plans to complete a graduate certificate program in public health this May.
But Graham isn’t finished with wrestling. He plans to stay in Bloomington and train with other former collegte wrestlers at its Regional Training Center in hopes of making it big.
“Ultimitely, I want to stick around and do wrestling at IU,” Graham said. “We have an RTC program here at IU, so I’m going to do that, and I want to make a World and Olympic team and hopefully someday coach. I like interior design, and someday, it would be good to go back to it.”
Cayden earned his bachelor’s in psychology last May and plans to finish his master’s program in learning and developmental sciences this summer. He plans to help East wrestling coach Chris Cooper with his program next year and hopes to get a teaching or counseling job.
“Before I had even left high school, Cooper and I had talked about coming back if I could,” Cayden said. “So it’s always something I’ve looked forward to.”
The next few months figure to be even more exciting for the Rooks family. Cayden is getting married in May, and Graham is tying the knot with his high school sweetheart in September.
“It’s a very exciting time,” Cayden said. “(Making the NCAA) is kind of the cherry on top.”
